Study on significance and educational effect of nursing practicum in international nursing / 国際保健医療

<p><b>Objectives</b></p><p>  This study analyzes Japanese nursing students’ perceptions before and after completing an international nursing practicum (INP) to clear significance and educational effect of practicum in international nursing. </p><p><b>Methods</b></p><p>  We conducted an anonymous, self-administered questionnaire survey for students participating in an INP, including practicum in developing countries, using qualitative and quantitative methodologies.</p><p><b>Results</b></p><p>  In total, 67.0% students completed the pre-practicum questionnaire and 28.4% completed the post-practicum questionnaire. Students interested in international nursing before and after were 54.5% and 59.3%, respectively. Those who perceived benefits from attending the INP for their future nursing activities (benefits) were 88.0% and 85.2%, respectively.</p><p>  In perceptions regarding international nursing, the following four items were significantly higher: “characteristics and diversity of society and culture affecting health,” “understanding of the Japanese health and nursing system,” “understanding of the world health and nursing system,” and “characteristics and diversity of society and culture affecting nursing.” In the perceptions regarding overseas practicum, the following three items included in expectation and achievement were significantly higher: “understanding the effect of society and culture on nursing,” “unable to experience this in Japan,” and “building up relationships with Vietnamese students and teachers.” All significant items included in anxiety were lower. “Language (English) skills” included in preparation was significantly higher. The basis for benefits before and after INP was extracted from six and five categories, respectively. Four categories, i.e., “personal growth,” “cultivation of an international perspective,” “forming views on nursing,” and “preparation for inter-state globalization” were the same for both. The benefits were related to willingness to perform international activities, achievement, and meaningfulness of overseas practicum.</p><p><b>Conclusion</b></p><p>  The results suggest that INP is an effective educational method for basic nursing education, moreover, to foster internationalism. One needs to understand the readiness of students and take their anxieties into consideration, particularly for overseas practicum.</p>

Comparison of Japanese nursing students’ perception before and after International Nursing Practicum / 国際保健医療

  This study analyzes Japanese nursing students’ perceptions before and after completing an international nursing practicum (INP). <BR>  Students implementing INP in a developing country completed an anonymous, self-administered questionnaire. Results were analyzed using statistical and qualitative methods. <BR>  66 students completed the pre-practicum questionnaire and 23 completed the post-practicum questionnaire. <BR>  As a result of perceptions regarding INP, three factors “interest in international nursing,” “knowledge necessary for international nursing,” and “understanding of the characteristics of international nursing” were extracted; knowledge necessary for international nursing was found to be significantly higher. Students’ perceptions of benefits of INP for their nursing activities, which were answered through the open-ended question revealed “personal growth,” “cultivation of an international perspective,” “increased understanding of nursing,” “beginning of expansion of views on nursing and nursing activities,” and “interest in exploring the essence of nursing.” <BR>  Perceptions regarding practicum overseas were revealed by three dimensions. Four factors “development of compassion,” “experience only in the practicum field,” “inspiration from achievement of international nursing activity,” and “living experience outside of Japan” were extracted from expectation and achievement. Three factors “environment,” “individual ability,” and “inevitable events in the developing country” were extracted from anxiety. Four factors “fundamentals for achieving INP goals,” “necessity of achieving INP goals,” “nursing knowledge and skill,” and “importance for implementation in the developing country” were extracted from need for preparation. Expectation and achievement regarding experience only in the practicum field was found to be significantly higher. Anxiety about individual ability and inevitable events associated with practicum in the developing country and need for preparation regarding nursing knowledge and skill were significantly lower.<BR>  It was suggested that INP is an effective educational method for basic nursing education and an early exposure for fostering internationalism. Understanding the willingness of students and taking their anxieties into considering were also found to be effective approaches.

The changes in students' consciousness about community medicine during our program / 医学教育

The collapse of community medicine has becomes a serious social problem in Japan, and a variety of measures have been implemented to counter it. In medical education, the model core curriculum has been revised, and many universities have started programs for community medical. We have had a community-based medical course at the Kinki University School of Medicine since 2005. This study examined the changes in students' consciousness about and affinity for community medicine during our program.<br>1)Questionnaires were completed by 494 students taking part in community-based medical training from April 2006 through July 2010. Results from before and after training were compared.<br>2)The questionnaire had 3 parts. The first part concerned medical activities with community residents. The second part concerned medical activities with housebound elderly persons. The third part concerned the students' future plans.<br>3)Many students gave themselves high scores for activities with community residents and housebound elderly persons. More students preferred hospitals in regional towns. A few students chose rural areas.<br>4)In an introduction to community medicine, it is important to first foster cordial relations with community residents. Cultivating problem-solving skills is the next challenge.<br>5)Community-based medical programs enhance medical students' understanding of and affinity for community medicine. Furthermore, some students will choose community-based medicine as a specialty.

Evaluation of “Palliative care workshop for physicians engaged in clinical practice for cancer treatment held in Kyoto”

In Kyoto, we held the first “Palliative care workshop for physicians engaged in clinical practice for cancer treatment” in Japan on June 7-8, 2008 under the directive of the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare. There were 163 participants in the workshop, including 56 physicians and 107 voluntarily participating healthcare professionals (77 nurses, 23 pharmacists and 7 other medical professionals). We analyzed the results of tests consisting of 25 questions classified into 7 categories based on their contents. Tests were administered before and after the workshop (pre-test and post-test), and the educational effects of our conference were evaluated by examining changes in test scores. Participants other than physicians, nurses and pharmacists were excluded from analysis of the test scores because comprehensive medical knowledge was required to solve the questions. The mean rates of correct answers on pre- and post-test were 87.9% for physicians (total 78.9%) and 94.6% for physicians (total 89.1%), respectively. The scores were markedly increased after the workshop, showing practical significance of our attempt. However, the percentage of correct answers regarding psychological symptoms was lowest for physicians as well as for other healthcare professionals on both pre- and post-test. These findings strongly suggest that the workshops produced a sufficient educational effect, but improvement in individual training systems is considered necessary, especially in fields related to psychological manifestations. Palliat Care Res 2010; 5(2): 152-161

Subjects of the training program related to the students' impressions and evaluations of community-based clinical training / 医学教育

Because of drastic changes in community health care in Japan, increasing emphasis has been placed on medical undergraduate education in community health care.The number of medical school introducing community-based clinical training is increasing.Therefore, effective clinical training in community health care should be developed. This study examined the effects of the location and subjects of training on students' evaluations and impressions of community-based clinical training.<BR>1) Self-administered questionnaires were completed by 499 fifth-year students taking part in community-based clinical training.The main items were the locations and subjects of training and the students' evaluations and impressi ons of training. The associations between these items were analyzed.<BR>2) A total of 96.8% of the questionnaires were analyzed. The students who trained only in clinics were slightly but not significantly more likely to have positive impressions of and to have given higher evaluation scores to training than were other students.<BR>3) Students who participated in health education for healthy persons or patients or both were significantly more likely to answer that“the training program was enjoyable, ”“the preceptors were enthusiastic, ”and“I spent more time with the preceptors.”On the other hand, the students who took part in inpatient care were significantly less likel y to answer that“the training program was enjoyable”or that“the training program is needed.”<BR>4) Students who studied 1 to 4 of the 11 subjects were significantly less likely than were students who studied 8 to 11 subjects to answer that“the preceptors were enthusiastic”and were less likely than were students who studied 5 to 7 subjects to answer that“the training was meaningful.”<BR>5) Students who studied few subjects during training might have negative feelings about community-based clinical training.The experience of health education might have a positive effect on students.On the other hand, the experience of inpatient care probably has a negative effect.

Educational Effects of a Standardized Program for Community-based Clinical Clerkships / 医学教育

Education in community medicine has become increasingly important. At Jichi Medical School, community-based clinicalclerkships began in 1998. This study examined the effects of a standardized program for medical facilities and clerkshipcontents introduced in 2001. A self-administered visual analogue scale questionnaire was given to 308 fifth-yearmedical students to examine their opinions about this program, community medicine, and the future. Results from beforeand after the introduction of the standardized program were compared. After the program had been introduced, significantlymore students agreed that the clerkship program was “meaningful” and should be continued. Furthermore, significantly more students agreed that “physicians enjoy working in the community, ” “talking with people, patients, and public officials is not difficult, ” and “ I will become a general physician or a specialist in the future.” These resultsshow that the standardized program is effective for education in community medicine.

A Reflection on Clinical Teaching in Obstetrics and Gynecology / 中华医学教育探索杂志

Clinical noviciate teaching in obstetrics and gynecology is an important component of China's higher education in medical sciences.It is necessary to strengthen the training of instructors,motivate students' interest in learning and adopt various types of teaching methods.These measures can improve the quality of clinical teaching in obstetrics and gynecology and enhance its educational effectiveness.

Small-Group Survey of Patient Services in Hygiene and Public Health / 医学教育

Small groups of 5th-year medical students performed a survey of hospital patient services in hygiene and public health, with an emphasis on patient waiting time. The purpose of this course was to give medical students the opportunity to experience the waiting time endured by patients and to obtain some understanding of the quality of hospital services from the patient's point of view. The survey was performed as follows. Groups of five students accompanied new patients in the department of internal medicine from registration until payment. The students recorded waiting time and examination time. During the waiting time, the students asked the patient questions to evaluate service. Patients were cooperative in giving responses during the survey. After the survey, the students summary proposed how to improve services for patients. By accompanying and talking with patients, the medical students were able to understand hospital systems from the patient's point of view. This course should prove useful for these students future careers in medicine.

A Study on the Education Effects of Medical Team Care Practice at the University of Tsukuba: Analysis of Reports on the Practice / 医学教育

The need for medical team care is increasing because of advances in medical care and changing national needs. For more than 20 years medical students at the University of Tsukuba have participated in medical team care practice before bedside learning during the third trimester of their 4th year. The objective of this practice is to understand patients from the nurses' point of view and to learn cooperation between doctors and co-medical staff. We analyzed students reports to study what they had learned. A total of 326 items in 11 categories were specified in the free-response part of the reports. The largest category was “nursing/nurses” and the second largest was “communication/human relations.” The results show that the students learned points other than the General Instruction Objectives and that the practice was extremely effective.

Influences of Basic Nursing Education on the Working Continuity of Nursing Profession / 医学教育

The purpose of this study was to compare the effect of basic nursing education in vocational programs versus university programs upon continuity of working in the nursing profession.The results and suggestions are as follows:<BR>1) Education type did not influence job leaving due to marriage and child care, However, working conditions at hospitals may have encouraged such leaving.<BR>2) We suggest that university nursing education might promote the returning of nurses to their jobs.<BR>3) University nursing education could have the effect of improving the quantitative and qualitative future of nursing manpower.